On The Marks of a Hero
by SorasApprenticeNumberOne
Summary: Two years after the defeat of Xehanort a strange feeling and old promise convince Sora to find the vanished Zack Fair. But the firstly harmless search turns out to be a new adventure as a new breed of Heartless endanger the lives of many innocents in Gaia. Unknown to Sora: The threat ties deeply to a friend's unspoken past... (Warning: Spoilers for the FF 7 compilation)
1. Skyblue Eyes

Hi and hello. I'm Sora's Apprentice and this is my first fan fiction on this site. So, I have one plea to all of you, criticize it and tell me what you like. I want to get better and know what you're thinking about it. Any reviews besides of flames are very appreciated. English isn't exactly the language I grown up with so thank Lucenthia for looking over my written grammar glibberish and correcting it.

This is a kind of Crossover story with Final Fantasy 7 that came into being after paying Crisis Core directly after Birth by sleep and asking myself what happened to Zack after you met him in the Olympus Coliseum. I didn't put it in the crossover section because I think no one would really notice it there. Forgive me but KH and Final Fantasy can't really be considered a crossover, right? This story consists of two timeline's. And every time you see "Unlocked Event:" I'll show for short time the second.

Legend:

Narrating.

"Direct Speech"

(Author Notes) They will only be used rarely, I promise.

OoOo=Line Break

_Thoughts or second timeline_

**(Music suggestion)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Disney or all its character's. They are rightful property of Square Enix and Disney naturally.**

* * *

On The Marks of a Hero

Prologue

Sky-blue Eyes

_I failed._

This sentence replayed itself over and over in his head. And was the only thing he was really aware of. Many people talk about how they recall their life for one time when close to death. He felt nothing. Memories seemed to fade, he felt light-headed, unsure of why he was even here in the first place. Rain was splattering from the slurred, dark sky to the ground and the great amount of blood of both him and... right, his enemy. The other combatant was unconscious and only some meters away but his stiff and sore body wouldn't ironically let him finish what he started. Besides them, no one else was in this deserted area. Leaving him alone, to think. All of this he could have prevented. If he had made another choice he would now be sitting safely back home with his friends. His vision faded and his eyes closed slowly. But he wasn't able to, he couldn't have ignored this dream and its hidden call for help.

OoOo

Unlocked Event: "The boy with the flowers"

**(Crisis Core OST Sky Blue Eyes)**

_Black hair that had gravity defying spikes, and a smug grin. The first traits that were noticed if someone saw the young man._

_"You have a wonderful taste in flowers, kid," said the swordsman almost doubling over, laughing so hard._

_Right after came striking sky-blue eyes that held a light of joy in them. He looked carefree and one could almost think words like fighting or death were unbeknown to him. The only sign of the hardships and trials he went through was a scar on his face. This pale red cross on his left cheek and a broad and long but hardly used sword. Nevertheless no one could note his experience. He seemed as innocent as the little seven-year old boy before him._

_The cheeks of the brown-haired boy were a slight pink as he held a bunch of flowers with two small hands. His hairstyle was also gravity defying but his strands, spiked in almost every direction, he also had sky-blue eyes who were glittering. But his grin was more sheepish and childish as he looked at the bouquet of the magenta-red hibiscus. _

_"They're not for me!" defended the boy himself and added meekly. "I picked them for someone else..."_

_"Name?" came from the young man as he chuckled and straightened himself._

_The small boy lost himself a bit in the flowers. Before him was the picture of a girl his age with Ruby-red hair, sparkling violet eyes and the brightest smile he knew._

_"Kairi..." the boy said, as if in trance."She likes flowers a lot. And this is the only bush I could find."_

_A cocky smile. "For your girl of dreams then. Should have known."_

_The already pink cheeks of the boy began to glow even darker and he simply nodded. He couldn't now see this man in his eyes. Embarrassed at how easily he was seen through. And confused at how strange this situation was. First this brown-haired man who talked with Riku three years ago. Then this kind woman with the hair out of water and now, him. Many strange people visited the islands. And this man had to come by when he was picking flowers._

_"Home, I have someone who likes flowers too..."_

_The boy looked up and noticed that these blue eyes who resembled his own were looking over the lapping, wide ocean. A somewhat far away and melancholic emotion in them. "I'd like to see her again..." he said, lost in his own thoughts._

_"Please don't be sad. I bet you'll see her again soon if you're really believing it!" tried the boy to cheer up the man._

_Riku was actually known for talking about such things, for him was it, nonsense. But on the other hand he admired his wise friend for being able to say the right thing if it was needed. The brown-haired boy showed his white teeth through a big grin and folded thin arms behind his head._

_A nice smile came back. "I think so too," said the swordsman and ruffled the lad through his hair. "Know what? You're alright kid! I'm Zack, SOLDIER first class."_

_"Sora!" the boy said happily and began to become less reserved."You are nice! I didn't get to meet much strangers on the islands!"_

_Blue eyes looked at Zack full of admiration and innocence. He sensed that in this boy was light, a strong flaming one. The kindness and helpfulness needed for a hero. The SOLDIER began to feel sympathy for the boy. Like he felt with Cloud, an infantryman he met at a mission in the snow-covered mountain pass in the Land of Dragons. _

_Zack kneeled before Sora to be at a same height with him and looked suspiciously from left to right. Once he saw that no one was coming he bent a bit forth. "What I now tell you is a secret so. Pshhh."_

_The SOLDIER laid one finger in front of his mouth and smiled lightly as Sora nodded grinning to bite shortly after that on his bottom lip. _

_"I'm here on a mission for SOLDIER and come from another world. Someone apparently hid something very important here and I have to get it back. Can you keep that to yourself?" asked the young man._

_"Will do!" said the seven-year old with honest enthusiasm._

_Sora was reminding him so much of himself in this age. So... He thought it was right to spread Angeal's words to these persons who might put good use to it. And Zack had a feeling that this boy is going to be a hero who would save other people in desperate need one day. He only had to be led in the right direction._

_"Sora, do you have dreams?" asked the SOLDIER._

_A bewildered look was the first answer he got. Then Sora crossed his arms thoughtfully. He had to think of the strange night three years ago under the starry night sky. His memories were only a blur now. But he helped somehow. And it felt good._

_"I wanna help! Riku, my best friend said once that people up there are hurting." while saying this words the boy looked up. "I wanna help them and be with my friends."_

_This was everything Zack needed to hear. He took the broad sword lightly in his hands and held it before him. His forehead touching the blade lightly. Sora followed every one of his movements with a sheer curiosity. Only to jump a bit away as the older took the precious sword to its rightful place. _

_"Then it's important that you embrace them and keep them here," He touched the place where Sora's heart* would be and the boy giggled. _

_"Riku would have said the same thing!" he called out, laughing._

_Zack too smiled lightly. "Embrace your dreams and protect your honor. Then you can become a true hero."_

_"I don't really know what honor is. But I'll try! I wanna be a true hero!"_

_For a little moment it was completely quiet. Only the steady sough of the ocean and some seagulls could be heard. The SOLDIER looked warmly down. "Seems like I have then a true hero in front of me the next time we'll meet."_

_"Promise!" came Sora's overzealous voice._

_A short laugh was heard before the black-haired man ruffled again through the chaotic spikes of Sora's hairstyle and stood up. "I'll take you by word then. Have to go on now. Good luck with Kairi." _You're going to need it.

_With those words of advice he turned around and went his way. Sora lifted his cowered head and gazed after him. Suddenly a feeling of dread and sorrow welled up in his heart. Like a dark suspicion and he didn't know why. _

_It felt as if this farewell would be for very, very long. He shook shortly his head trying to shoo this dark thoughts away. Never liked any of these. Sora was now sure that he would, directly after he gave Kairi the flowers, go to his father. He made some extra wooden swords for him and Riku._

_And he never actually planned to use them._

OoOo

**(Kh BBS OST Destiny Islands) **

Even now, eleven years later, the noise of crashing waves and the short and quiet squawking of seagulls could still be heard. The sky and ocean were as clear as ever. The twilight rays of the sun met the white sand on the beach where a lonely young man was lying. His hands, covered with dark and fingerless gloves that were a bit too big, were folded behind his head and served as a pillow. Straps of white fabric hung loosely down after they prevented the gloves to fall off, crossing over it several times. The facial features of the young man were also more mature than the ones from his seven-year old version.

Even if his pants were only three-quarters the normal length, their black color, dark-blue crisscrossing belts and dark pockets didn't seemed to be really the right clothing on an island. Just like the blue, sleeveless shirt that got nearly completely covered by a dark-grey knitted waist coat if it wasn't for a slightly opened zipper.

It was an outfit for combat. A present from a friend after he grown out of Yen Sid's clothes. Out of this reason completed with a silver shoulder plate on the right side, held in place with two black and thin straps, diagonally going over the young man's chest.

His eyes fluttered open and saw in the sky. _Was this a dream? Or did I really meet Zack...? _The eighteen-year-old sat up and for a short amount of time flashed a silver crown chain in the light of the sun. _How was he able to reach the islands?_

"Sora!" called a high voice behind him.

The young man turned around and saw his red-haired best friend. Wearing a white and lightly fluttering summer dress with a straw hat decorated with flowers. She smiled happily and began to run, sand whirling up behind her. In fact he couldn't deny that she looked beautiful, but forced himself not to think too much about it.

Sora grinned and waited to the point when she reached him. "Hey Kairi. What's up?"

She rolled her eyes and bent down a bit to get a closer look on him. "Only checking that you don't get a sunstroke. Honestly Sora. How did you sleep in such clothes during this weather on the middle of a beach."

"I don't feel anything. You worry too much," he answered grinning.

"You're right. You and Riku can probably withstand anything. Why do I even try to help you," she said sarcastically and threw herself on the ground beside him.

"Look who's talking! If I remember right you're a potential master too," he said laughing.

She hummed softly and faced the person sitting next to her. "I believe it should stay that way. I wanted to simply help the great hero's and don't be one myself."

_"Seems like I have then a true hero in front of me the next time we'll meet." Did I really promise him to become a hero? _Sora was sure that he didn't made this up. But where was the 1st Class SOLDIER now? And why didn't he visit the islands more often? Why had he only remembered now? Those and many other questions haunted him, so much that he didn't even notice how lost he was in his own thoughts. Kairi did, and observed him with worry written across her face.

"Sora? Is something the matter?"

He lifted his head and looked at her with a confused expression. Only seconds before he wanted to explain they were interrupted.

"Something serious is on his mind," said a calm voice from the background.

Both looked now in the direction the voice came from. Only to see that its origin was their platinum blonde childhood friend.

"How long are you spying on us Riku?"

"The whole afternoon," he answered dryly. "I only wait for the moment you two finally kiss each other to show it Selphie, Tidus and Wakka."

A sly smile formed on his lips as he saw how Sora shut up in an instant. He stood next to them and put his hands in the pockets of the long black trousers. His clothes were more impractical than Sora's with a long coat the same color. At least the olive-green shirt was cropped.

"Sora, you can tell us what's troubling you," Kairi said, not even blushing at Riku's joke.

"I..."

He could tell them now. Tell them that he met someone who made him into what he was now and never came back. That he forgot someone after they defeated Xehanort's thirteen vessels. But he was sure that they would never let him go alone. Even if he asked them. They had all waited and fought to be together someday. But something was nagging at him. The feeling that he shouldn't bring them, even if they could hold their own in battle.

"Nothing," he said, giving his best grin. "Only thinking, Kai."

"If you're really sure..." she stated doubtfully. "You know that you can talk with us about anything, right?"

Her look was questioning, reproachful even. Since they came back Kairi was always the one who worried the most about him. You could see that in the way she looked at him and always asked she saw him lost in his thoughts. Not something he had really been known for in the past. Seeing that questioning look from someone so happy and carefree was sure to make him feel very bad.

"Really, anything." Riku said, putting emphasis on Kairi's words. Sora caught the hidden undertone, the implications Riku was sending in his direction, most likely trying to warn Sora not to let the darkness get a hold of him.

He could understand that Riku didn't want him to experience the same thing he did, like the first time he tried to surpass the mark of mastery, or the time Vanitas had tried to get a hold of him afterwards. Without knowing, his expression turned slightly sour at this part. He actually should been stronger that time.

He turned himself in the direction of his friends and felt the star-shaped charm, made by Kairi herself, in his trouser pocket and took it out. They shared the charm now. One of them carried it wherever he or she was.

"Can I keep it a while longer?" he asked while looking at the star out of seashells.

"Sure Sora, do what you want." she said softer, her voice being a little bit too close.

They looked up at the same time, and for a short moment both looked deeply into each other's eyes, their faces only inches away. With his face slightly red, he looked in the direction of the ocean, not being able to say anything. What he didn't see was that she smiled half-heartedly after that. No accusations, not even a sigh, only that half-hearted smile.

"We should go now." Riku stated trying to break the tension in the air.

"You're right, Riku." the redhead said, standing up and dusting the sand from her clothing. "Are you coming Sora?"

Worry and slight disappointment was displayed in her eyes.

Sora nodded absently and followed his friends. The sun already colored the ocean red and the white sand a light orange. A picture he had memorized and displayed in his mind more than once on his adventures. He tried to take everything in before he would leave the islands again for some time. From the steady waves and the tall Paopu-trees to the fresh evening breeze through his clothes. This world always meant peace to him and leaving it was hard every time he chose to. But if he wouldn't help, then who else? Besides, the others had been through enough because of an old guy with crazy intentions.

The rest of the way was walked in absolute silence. They worried way too much about him. As if he couldn't really do anything alone. He would search for Zack, that was for sure. Maybe he could leave a letter, explaining it to them. They had to at least know that he wasn't abducted or something like that. As they reached the boats his decision was final. He would leave the islands tomorrow in the early morning after he explained anything to his mother and friends in letters. They didn't have to save him all the time.

"Good night, guys," Kairi wished them smiling.

"Good night," responded Riku with a small smile.

"Good night..." Sora tried his best to give them a confident grin.

He stepped into his boat and rowed home with mixed feelings and tried to shoo his strange thoughts away. He had to concentrate now on the task that lay before him.

* * *

The changed chapter. Like I said. I'm sorry but I tried to keep the feeling of this chapter and the changes as minor as even possible.

* directly translation for Angeal's speech of the German derivation: Carry your dreams within your heart. And protect your honor as a soldier.

Good? Bad? Hope you enjoyed it anyway. I'm not the fastest writer but I am dermined to make this not to a dead story. For why Sora left the islands alone. First thing. I'm going later for a bit darker mood and Sora having his childhood friends there, helping him wouldn't really be suiting. Don't worry they won't stay the whole story on that island. Second thing, I have yet to learn writing a group of more people and giving everyone decent screen time.

Thanks for reading. :)


	2. Beginning of the search

Three weeks?! Time sure flies. Thanks to everyone who is still reading. And thanks to everyone who reviewed, favourited, followed. In the first chapter! Special thanks to Lucenthia who looked over my whole grammar.

So I have an anouncement to make. The Unknowing Herald was so nice to point out that Kairi and Riku never would allow Sora to go alone. So I changed the first chapter really slightly. Sora never told them that he left to find Zack. If you want to read it I just changed it. Otherwise I really tried to keep changes at a minimum and the mood the same.

Well onto the chapter.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Disney, Final Fantasy and everything related to it. Everything belongs to Square Enix and Disney.**

* * *

Chapter 1  
Beginning of the search

The small world known by most only as the Olympus Coliseum, actually called Greece, was the first world that came into Sora's mind when he decided to search for the hero. Fighters from all the worlds travelled to this one to get better, participate in the games and hopefully become famous. All with noble motivations but only a handful prevailed against the hardships of training. Right now, Sora was going through the busy cobbled paths of Greece, alone. He managed to leave the island early in the morning and with the help of the mist that covered Destiny Islands around these hours.

The letters were written, even if they were more short than anything. He just couldn't have written more that didn't sound stupid or like a plea to understand him. His reasons were plain, really. They didn't have to help him and this task was more than simple. Besides, they were worrying way too much about him. He was sure that he could hold his own. He knew he didn't have to hide behind his friends for this, even if he had been helped by so many of them before.

Going thoughtfully around he nearly bumped into someone amidst the great mass of people in Thebes. With time the city had gotten crowded and the lifestyle resembled one of an industrialized metropolis. People were waiting for carriages to cross the streets, thousands of shops with souvenirs and little toys stood at the market place. No one seemed to have a care in the world besides to be punctual for their appointments. Since the defeat of the crazed, old madman all the Heartless had left too. Hopefully somewhere beyond the dark margin.

According to Yen Sid the Heartless weren't really keen to leave the realm of darkness without somebody who could lead them on their way to destroy worlds. He was okay with that and decided not to think too much about it. It would darken the light-heartened mood that made him happy.

"THE END OF THE WORLD IS COMING! WE WILL ALL DIE IN A APOCALYPSE!" cried an insane voice from somewhere.

Out of pure instinct Sora's keyblade sprung to life. The simple Kingdom Key with a golden handle and a silver crossguard ending in crown shaped teeth. He flew to the origin of the voice. A lot of dust swirled up into the air when the young man slid into a halt. He automatically got into his fighting stance and was ready for anything, but this? The dust cloud subsided and showed a man with tousled black hair running around. As Sora stood up, utterly perplexed, from his crouched position.

"What?" he asked, dismissing his weapon.

The man stopped in an instant and headed straight to the eighteen year old. Before Sora could even blink the eccentric citizen grabbed his upper arm and shook him violently, as small eyes gave him a piercing and insane look.

"Be careful! The gods of the Olympus won't be long benevolent! OH NO! I SAID THEIR NAMES!"

His expression changed even more, if that was even possible, into one of panic and fled at a superhuman speed, far away from whatever he was so afraid of. _What was that about? _Sora ran his hand through his hair, looking in the direction the man disappeared to.

"Don't worry he is always like this,"

The calm voice that said this belonged to another citizen from Thebes. This time a fully but simply clothed woman with a basket in her hands.

"Normally he is or was intelligent but all his Apocalypse-theories made him crazy. He even thought the Heartless could cause the destruction of the universe."

"Geez, I thought he meant it seriously," answered the keyblade wielder.

Better not mention that he could have been right about the destruction thing. Even if his first fears were partially right it was a pity the old man got so caught up in it. Sora actually believed grave things were happening as he heard his loud screaming about an apocalypse.

"I wish I could help him. Oh well," she said shaking her head.

Then the Keyblade Master remembered why he was here in the first place. "By the way, have you heard the name Zack once? A guy with black hair and clothing"

She got thoughtful "No, and I know almost anyone in this place. If someone has seen him it must be the hero-trainer Philoctetes at the Olympus Coliseum. New people arrive there every day."

"Why didn't I think of that in the first place? Thanks!" he facepalmed and called out.

"Anytime." she said smiling and changed her direction to a small well.

When the woman was out of sight he threw his Keyblade high into the sky. A small glimmer of light almost like a star was seen then, showing that Sora hadn't forgotten how to summon a Keyblade glider, and a board of golden and silver metal landed with a soft gust of wind next to him, nearly touching the ground. With one fluid jump he landed safely on the vehicle and flew off at great speeds into the air, shocking all the citizens around him.

OoOo

On the exact same day at the exact same time, the play island of Destiny Islands was much calmer. This little island was widely known to be territory of children and at that early hour, almost no one was there. Only two were wide awake thanks to a small, completely unexpected letter hidden at the crooked paopu tree. While the silver-haired young man leaned over the trunk and disbelievingly read the piece of paper, his red-headed best friend looked nervously over his shoulder, Holding onto the bottle the message was hidden in and waiting for any reaction from him, waiting for any good news or a solution that most likely wouldn't come. It stood there as plain as day. Sora left without telling them anything, despite having had enough occasions to do so.

There was nothing much on the paper. The information that he had gone off to search for something and emphasizing that it wasn't something dangerous. With the note that he would come back as soon as possible and they shouldn't worry too much about it. It was almost like the little note that you left for your parents when you go over to a friend. That was what worried her so much. He had downplayed so many things in the last two years. And she simply knew there was something more serious behind it. It wasn't that he didn't trust them. It wasn't darkness. He only seemed insecure sometimes. A trait that just wasn't him.

"That idiot. We told him that he could trust us if there is something." Riku said with a mixture of anger and tiredness in his voice.

Not telling anyone what he thought and leaving alone. Sora should know that this was exactly the wrong thing to do. He himself had put things right after Riku had tried doing things by himself. The silver-haired keyblademaster just couldn't believe that his friend was going to do the same.

"So? We can't just stay here and wait for him again. We can leave the islands too." Kairi told Riku matter-of-factly.

Being mad didn't solve anything. It happened and they had to worry about how they were going to solve the problem. That was Kairi's opinion, at least.

Riku smiled and shook his head. "But where should we even begin? He didn't even tell us what he was going to search for, let alone where he was going to search for it. It just annoys me, Kairi, he should know better."

Riku made a point but Kairi wasn't going to back down. Even if it seemed unlikely, impossible even, she was going to do anything to find her friend. To find Sora. Without her wanting to, heat slowly made its way to her cheeks. He never even acknowledged that she might have feelings for him... At least she thought, maybe hoped, that he just didn't notice. It was better than the alternative of him knowing and ignoring her. But it was wrong to think about this now.

"In different worlds," the princess of Heart answered his question. "We know Sora's friends and it worked when he did the same to find us. He's done so much in the past, I think it's our turn to lead him to the right path."

Nothing could convince her to stay on that island now. Kairi had the feeling that she was needed and she would find him, and she actually felt sorry for anything that dared to stand in her way.

Riku saw the truth in her words. "You and Sora are really stubborn, but you're right. I can't disregard this even If I wanted to," he said calmly and determined while pocketing the message. "Someone out there must have seen him."

Kairi smiled at Riku's words.

OoOo

After a really short period of time, due to his somewhat reckless driving style, Sora arrived before the ancient and ostentatious gates of the Olympus Coliseum. Everything was exactly like it had been in his memories. Next to this gates were pillars of the same height and two golden gladiators ten times higher than he was. Crossing swords almost seeming like fighting in the very moment.

Sora concluded it was better to see his old friend again than reliving old memories and opened the gates, entering the neat kept sandlot framed by pillars and fireplaces in front of the actual arena.

"One and five and one-. You're losing the stability in your left arm. Brace yourself!" a crabby voice yelled from the left.

The keyblade wielder looked in the direction the voice was coming from and saw a satyr, on a big rock on top of Hercules who was doing in addition push-ups. The small red-haired man with the abdomen and legs of a ram seemed as serious and strict as ever, watching the orange-haired hero who was able to fulfill this normally impossible task.

" This doesn't have anything to do with your training plan, does it? I hope you aren't at your wit's end Phil," the man said joking.

"You try to teach your pupils something, than we can talk," the trainer said grumbling.

Thinking that he had listened to the conversation for long enough, Sora concluded it would be better to come over and say hello. But even as he stood only a meter away from the rock none of the two really noticed him.

"Hey, Herc. Long time no see," he said loudly trying to get the hero's attention.

The hero looked up and brightened. With a simple jump, he stood straight and the rock flew along with Phil some meters away and crashed roughly onto the sandy ground.

"Sora, what are you doing here," he greeted enthusiastically and gave the young man a crushing handshake. "What have the last three years done to you? You're almost unrecognizable."

The keyblade wielder flexed his hand a bit, mouthing a soundless 'ow' and wanted to answer before he saw a very angry satyr coming in his direction out of the corner of his eyes.

"Three words for you. No. Interfering. During. The. Training," he advised with an angry edge in his voice.

Phil folded his arms and was stomping with a steady rhythm onto the ground, somehow reminding Sora of Donald every time he managed to tick the duck off.

"Sorry Phil, but aren't you supposed to be in the arena while training," Sora remembered, amused.

"Not a real good idea. Every junior hero is trying to outdo each other there. Me and Herc are searching for pupils we can train," he sighed.

Sora nodded and couldn't get a smile out if his face. "I can imagine that. Speaking of heroes. You two know someone with the name Zack?"

Master and pupil looked at each other knowingly, indicating to Sora that they had indeed heard this name before. The keyblade master began to smile beginning to understand that he was one step closer to meeting an old friend.

"Zack was here long ago, when I just started my training. Actually he wanted to be a pupil of Phil too. We fought but I gave up because Ven was in trouble." Hercules remembered.

Sora nodded. He actually missed Ventus and asked himself what Ven, who was like a brother to him, was doing. He decided that now was the wrong moment to think about this and that he could visit everyone later when he found him.

His trainer took over. "That eager kid left only seconds after Herc did. But Herc was faster and had been my pupil for a little bit longer so I kept him. He vowed to become a hero himself and wanted to come back here. He even promised sweet cheeks to go out with her."

If Sora wasn't mistaken the goat would soon begin to drool if someone didn't jolt him out of his daydreams. "Do you know from what world he came?"

"From a place with the letter G... I'm sure it was something with G," answered Hercules.

"Planet Gaia in the village Gongaga. Some people were talking about how he returned with an Angeal-guy to his homeworld, but it was fourteen years ago," his trainer said more helpfully.. "You searching for him or something?"

"You could say I have to keep a promise. Thanks guys, I'm in Gaia if you need me," explained Sora eagerly.

"Good luck then." the muscular hero said, "Greet Zack from me."

The young man didn't hear any of this because of his eagerness. He waved before he touched his silver shoulder plate and began to glow. As the light dimmed and sparks crackled, the keyblade wielder was in full body armor. Consisting of silver and golden plates protecting his chest, elbows, thighs and knees and a helmet with the same color scheme, the rest of the armor was a dark brown.

Shortly before a swirling, light blue Portal appeared before him, he shut his dark-blue visor and sprung up on his glider. The enormous gust of wind he created as he vanished into the portal blew sand into the air. Coughing, the satyr dusted himself down and looked slightly angrily in the direction the portal was. At least he would have had the dust not been so thick.

"Phil," Hercules began.

"Yep," the satyr said slightly annoyed.

"Does he know where Gaia is?" the hero asked worried.

"Let's hope so. Because I couldn't tell him."

OoOo

Unlocked Event: A true Ideal

**(Crisis Core OST Under the Apple Tree)**

"It's too bad. I really wanted to fight you fair and square." "Maybe someday Zack."

_"Oh man. Eight months ago and still no sign of Terra..." the black haired teenager said. _

_The young warrior made his way through masses of people on the stone ways of Thebes, not even acknowledging them. Living here all the time now, trying to train for real hero hood and maybe waiting for the stoic hero to show him how much he improved during the time. Zack remembered even now how the strong fighter saved him from Hades_' _magic and __had been considering asking Terra to be his mentor for a while__. The Unversed had disappeared a short while after Aqua had left, which had to mean that Terra had won that battle. Not that it surprised him. Simple, for a real hero. __Zack refused to believe that Terra would let him down. No, he was sure that Terra was only hindered by something. A smile found its place on the young man's features._

_"More time to train. Terra will never see it coming," he assured himself._

_The black-haired arrived at a well and stretched. "I should do dome squats"_

_Said and done. The young warrior begun to train his leg muscles before he heard a scream from the other direction. Naturally he gave up on his exercise and dashed to the place the scream came from._

_"Hold your horses_, _young sir!" came an older voice far behind him._

_But he hadn't the time. Someone was suffering, and that caused the hero in training to charge to the rescue. He _slid to a halt abruptly_ and rounded the next corner, only to see an enormous black ant with yellow glowing pupils get pulverized with a simple punch. _

_Behind the man with the ability to transport _Monsters into the otherworld with martial arts stood a_ young woman with reddish brown hair and a violet dress. Her long strands were tied into a ponytail and her blue eyes looked thankfully to her savior, a middle-aged pale man with black shoulder-length hair, _a serious expression on his face, and blue eyes.

_"Thank you. But I have to go now. I have a date!" she said happily and disappeared._

_The man showed a little sign of a smile and for Zack it was clear what he was. _

_"Man that was so cool. How you simply defeated the thing with one punch. You are really a true hero!" said the boy admiring._

_"If you only defeat someone it doesn't make you to a true hero. " he answered seriously._

_"What then?" the black-haired asked and titled his head diagonally, giving the man the puppy-dog look. "Anyway. Name's Zack!"_

_"1st class SOLDIER Angeal Hewley." answered the man with the shoulder length black hair._

_The young warrior saw now that he was wearing the black Shinra-Uniform. Not given to soldiers but SOLDIERS_, _an elite-group he wanted to join, before he heard there were other worlds._

_"You don't happen to come from Gaia do you?" asked Zack. "I come from there too. A place called Gongaga."_

_Angeal smiled lightly. "Banora. But I don't really have the time to talk."_

_With those words the older wanted to go separate ways from the young wannabe hero and thought the conversation was over. He hadn't reckoned with Zack's persistence. _

_"Please. Take me with you and train me!" he begged._

_The SOLDIER-fighter sighed, and disregarded the teenager behind him. _

_"My greatest dream is to become a true hero!" the young warrior called after him._

_This sentence let the man in the uniform pause and stand still. He looked back to the black-haired boy whose determined look showed that he meant and took it seriously. He was innocent and willing to do much good._

_"All right," Angeal began._

_Zack balled his hands to fists and got a little bit on his knees in some sort of a victory pose._

_"But you have to know this if you want to become a hero..."_

_"Anything!" came an almost too fast response from the young fighter._

_He would do anything to become a real hero. To help the people around him and give every monster out there a piece of his fighting skills was his biggest dream. He admired anyone who_ _had_ _already managed to become one._

_"Embrace your dreams and protect your honor." finished Angeal and was going ahead of Zack._

_Zack didn't really have an idea how to answer him so he simply followed the 1st class SOLDIER. Terra would have to wait a bit. But by the time Zack was done, Terra would compete against a real hero.  
_

* * *

To be honest that is not really a chapter I like. It's more like a filler and well... I will actually be really happy when I reach the point where the main plot begins. I hope you enjoyed reading this anyway. Tell me If something was off for you. I will be happy about anything that could improve my writing.

Sadly I got no occasion to tie the Wayfinder trio somehow in. *sigh* Ah, well I got a new subplot with Riku and Kairi so Terra, Aqua and Ventus will get eventually their screen-time.


End file.
